The most clearly identifiable and popular form of Japanese hip-hop,
"ghetto" or "gangsta" music has much in common with its corresponding
American subgenres, including its portrayal of life on the margins,
confrontational style, and aspirational "rags-to-riches" narratives.
Contrary to depictions of an ethnically and economically homogeneous
Japan, gangsta J-hop gives voice to the suffering, deprivation, and
social exclusion experienced by many modern Japanese. 24 Bars to Kill
offers a fascinating ethnographic account of this music as well as the
subculture around it, showing how gangsta hip-hop arises from widespread
dissatisfaction and malaise.